Hamfests
| Hamfests | |
|---|---|
| Also called | Swapfests, ham conventions; radio rallies in the UK |
| What they are | Gatherings combining a flea market, vendors, talks and exams |
| Usual organizer | A local radio club |
| Typical length | One day; two or three days for large conventions |
| Largest in the US | |
| Name | Dayton Hamvention |
| Organizer | Dayton Amateur Radio Association |
| Location | Greene County Fairgrounds, Xenia, Ohio (since 2017) |
| When | Each May |
A hamfest is a gathering of amateur radio operators built around buying, selling and swapping equipment. A typical hamfest has an outdoor market where hams sell gear from their cars, indoor tables of new and used equipment, talks on operating and technical topics, and often a license exam session. Most are one-day events organized by a local radio club in a school gym, fairground or community center; the largest are multi-day conventions that draw visitors from around the world. Hamfests are social events too, and often the one place where hams who have talked on the air for years finally meet in person.
What you'll find
- Tailgating is the outdoor flea market. Sellers park in a designated lot and sell from the trunk or tailgate of their vehicle or from a folding table beside it. This is where the bargains and oddities turn up, along with the heavy vintage tube radios nicknamed "boat anchors".
- The indoor flea market has rented tables of used radios, parts, tools, cables and connectors, test equipment and computer odds and ends, mostly from individuals.
- Vendors are dealers and manufacturers selling new radios, antennas, accessories, books and kits, sometimes at special show prices.
- Forums are talks and presentations on everything from antennas and digital modes to emergency communications and DXpeditions.
- License exams are given at many hamfests by teams of volunteer examiners, and some larger events offer QSL card checking for operating awards.
- Prize drawings are a hamfest tradition, often included in the price of admission.
Admission is usually modest, and sellers pay a small extra fee for a tailgate space or a table. The ARRL publishes a calendar of hamfests and conventions on its website, and many are ARRL-sanctioned events.
Dayton Hamvention
Hamvention, held each May and still widely called "Dayton", is the largest hamfest in the United States and one of the largest in the world. It is organized by the Dayton Amateur Radio Association, which first held it in 1952. For decades it took place at Hara Arena, on the edge of Dayton, Ohio. After the arena closed, Hamvention moved in 2017 to the Greene County Fairgrounds in nearby Xenia, Ohio, where it has been held since. The 2026 show ran from 15 to 17 May, and the 2027 show is set for 21 to 23 May.
The event runs from Friday to Sunday. Its flea market spreads across the fairgrounds outside, while the buildings hold hundreds of vendors and a long program of forums. The week around it is full of related gatherings, including the training day known as Contest University and dinners and meetings of contest, DX and specialty groups, so many visitors come for the whole week. Contest University is held the day before Hamvention opens, and it also runs shorter versions at other conventions and online webinars; in September 2026 its webinar "The Yagi Turns 100" marked the centennial of the Yagi–Uda beam antenna, invented in 1926.
Other large hamfests
Other major US events include HamCation in Orlando, Florida, each February, and the Huntsville Hamfest in Alabama each August, along with ARRL division and state conventions around the country. HamCation is held at the Central Florida Fairgrounds and hosts the ARRL Southeastern Division Convention; the 2027 event is set for 12 to 14 February. In 2026 the Huntsville Hamfest hosted the ARRL National Convention: the convention program, with all-day training tracks including a shorter Contest University, filled Friday 21 August, and the hamfest itself followed on 22 and 23 August at the Von Braun Center. Abroad, Ham Radio in Friedrichshafen, Germany, held each June, is the largest in Europe, and the Tokyo Ham Fair is held each summer in Japan. Smaller local hamfests, though, are where most hams do their buying and selling, often within an hour's drive of home.
Buying used gear
Used equipment is a big part of the hamfest appeal, and a little care avoids most disappointments:
- Arrive early. The best items at tailgating often sell in the first hour.
- Know prices before you go. Look up recent sale prices and reviews for the radios you are interested in, so you can recognize a fair price.
- Ask to see it work. Many sellers will power up a radio if asked, and some indoor tables have power available. A small 12-volt battery with common power connectors, a dummy load and a wattmeter let you check that a transmitter actually puts out power.
- Inspect carefully. Look for corrosion from leaking batteries, burned or missing parts, chewed-up screws that hint at amateur repairs, a burned smell, and missing accessories such as the microphone, power cord or manual.
- Check the details. Make sure a radio covers the bands and modes you want, and ask whether it has been modified.
- Bring cash, including small bills, since many sellers don't take cards. Polite bargaining is normal, especially late in the day, when sellers would rather not pack things up again.
- Assume no returns. Private sales are almost always final. Gear bought from a dealer may come with a warranty.
See also
- Ham radio clubs
- List of ham radio clubs
- Ham radio vendors
- Volunteer examiners
- HF transceiver
- ARRL
- Dayton Hamvention
- QSL cards and logging